Pressure exerting device



' 0, 1954 K. o. DUNCAN PRESSURE EXERTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 27. 1950 IN VEN TOR.

Kennel?) 0. Duncan Aftorneiy v Patented Aug. 10,1954 T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,686,047 7 PRESSURE EXEKTING DEVICE Kenneth 0, Duncan, Los Angeles, Calif. Application February 27, 1950, Serial N 0. 146,530

invention to provide a simple, dependable, highly efiective structure, practical where it is desired to exert great force or pressure to spread or break objects or materials.

The device or equipment provided by the present invention is useful in various situations and it is particularly useful and practical in carrying out demolition operations. It is frequently necessary to demolish structures of various kinds such, for example, as machinery foundations, walls, abutments, revetments, piers, and like structures such as are usually made up largely, if not entirely, of concrete. In other cases rocks or rock formations must be reduced or cut away.

,It is common in such cases to use explosives or hammering devices for demolition operations, but these methods are not always safe or practical.

It is a general object of the present inventionv to provide an easily operated structure serving to exert great pressures such as are required to break or crack masses of concrete, rock, or like structures or formations.

' Another object of this invention is to provide a structure of the general character referred to in which the action of a plurality of spaced rams is coordinated so that a properly directed and distributed thrust is delivered.

. A- further object of this invention is to provide a device in which the ram unit that is applied to the material to be broken is light and simple to handle and can be operated safely and rapidly.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the general character referred to having a release means that provides for simple, quick release of the ram unit from operating position following the application of pressure thereto.

The structure in which the present invention is employed involves, generally, a fluid pressure actuated ram unit, a pressure generator and a flexible connection between the ram unit and the generator. The ram unit is characterized by an elongate body with lateral cylinder openings connected by ports. Rams slide in the cyl- 2 Claims. (01. 262-12) inder openings and project laterally from the body, the outer ends of the rams being curved so that they are convex in form. A pressure plate extends parallelwith the body at the side from which the rams project and the several rams engage the inner side of the pressure plate while the outer side of the pressure plate, which is curved, engages the formation which is to be acted upon. A head end of the body has a chamber communicating with the cylinders of the body and the flexible connection is joined to this chamber by a suitable fitting. Each ram carries a packing or sealing means at its inner end and has a projecting stud that spaces the sealing means from the inner end of the cylinder when the ram is in an innermost position.

The pressure generator involves a reservoir supplying fluid and a pump, preferably manually operable, serving to deliver fluid'under pressure to the flexible connection which is a simple, flexible conduit that extends to the head of the ram unit. A pressure relief means is provided by which fluid may be allowed to escape at the head of the ram unit or at the pressure generator, freeing the apparatus of pressure so that the rams can be moved inwardly in the cylinders. A retainer is also provided engageable over one group of rams rendering them inoperative when it is necessary or convenient to thus take certain of the rams out of service.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a body of concrete showing the equipment of the present invention applied thereto and having been operated to crack such body of concrete. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the ram unit including the present invention showing a retainer rendering certain rams inoperative and showing a pressure plate of suitable length engaged by the other rams and angularly related to the body. Fig. 3 is an enlarged de-' tailed sectional view taken in the direction indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 1 prior to the unit being actuated. Fig. 4 isa view similar to Fig. 3 showing operation of the device. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the pres+ surefgenerating unit provided by the present inventionand Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 66 on Fig. 5.

The structure in which the present invention" means is acting between the rams and the Walls.

of the cylinder openings, and a pressure plate [4 engaged by the rams.

The body ill in its preferred form is elongate. and is a unitary or integral member formed of a single body or bar of stock; preierablstroundrizr.

cross sectional configuration. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated the elongate body It! has a flattened side 16 and the cylinder openings: IiL-areain aeseries; extending-longitudinally of; thevbodyand enter it from the side.- t6 extend alsubstantia li distance into: thebody-sa that their inner: or-bot'tom ends -t'l'terminate short of, but. close to, the vsi'de of the body- HF opposite the: flattened-side Hi. The upper. end portion of the body projects: a substantial-distance: above the uppermost cylinderopening' H totormwhat will betermed a head 29 which head is-formed or provided: with a fiuidhandling cl iarnbe: 2 l; which: is in communication with the flexible connection C through. a suitablefitting' 22.

In .the. preferred form of the invention the several.- cylinder open-ings'. ll are otqlike sizeandarezin the-nature of straight-cylindricalboresthat enter the body. Hla from the flattened: sid'e l'B toterminate at flat bottoms I1 A fluid handling port; 3d. connects chamber 21. with the uppermostcylinder. opening. adjacent the bottom l1 thereot andconnecting ports'33 join ad j'acen-t' cylinder openings adjacent thebottomsthereof sotha-t allof thencylinderopenings are in communication with each other: and: with the chamber 2 I .Theheadi .in its preferred form isprovided with anlextensionin the formof a shank hav ing a cross. arm 36 at its upper end; which shank and crossarm form a handle by which the body canbe. conveniently manipulated.

The. rams iii are slidable in: thecylinder open-- ings H and as shown in the drawings they may beialilre and-each. may be-providedatits-outer end with. a convexly curve-d end portion.:38. It is the convex. end of each: ram that engages the inner side. 358; of pressure plate M.

In accordance with the preierredtormof the invention a boss-or stud lflbprojects. from. the inner end; of each ram i2. and when the-ram is in .its innermost position: the. stud abuts the bottom. of the-cylinder open-ing carrying the ram to space the. inner. end of the ram from the bottom.

The sealing means 13' provided tov aotbetween: each ram and thewall; of the cylinder opening in which the. ram: operates-.preferablyinvolves. a sealing-disc. which maybe retained. aththe. inner end: of the rain. a retainer-M5 carried on the stud l0 andretai-nett by a: key 6:11. The parts. are arranged and; related so. that when theram. isin the innermostposition itszsealing member: isspaced fromthe bottom. I! ofthe-cylinder openi-ngso that. the. ports 33. communicating with .the. cylinder opening are. left uncovered for'tree 13343:" sage. otfiuid' between: adjoining cylinder-open? ings. Inpraotice the. sealing ,disc; ormembesAd issuch as to fit tightly'inthecylinder opening 4 that carries the plunger, making it unnecessary to provide any separate or independent means for retaining the plunger in the cylinder opening.

The pressure generating unit involves, generally, a fluid supply means provided by a reservoir 5B and a pump 5| which receives fluid from the reservoir and delivers it to the flexible connection C for communication to the cylinders of the ram unit A. In the caseillustrated a common base fii' carries the reservoir and the pump 51, and the pump 5! is a simple or con- .ventional pressure pump in which there is a cylinder 53 having a piston 54 operating therein .andlthefluictisihandled by a suitable valve assembly at 5.5so thatas the piston is reciprocated in the'cylinder'fiui'd is drawn into the cylinder and .then, ioiieedi therefirom out through the flexible connection C. The operating means provided for gaining the desired reciprocation of the piston 54 is shown as involving amoperating lever 68 carried by ali'nk-E l1 and-connected to:piston..54 by a pivot-pin $2. The link is shownpivotedito the-pump structure-b a pivot pinwfid... From Fig. 5u-of-the drawings it will. be. apparent that suitablereciproeation ot the pump lever or handle '60 causes reciprocation of the/piston sostha-t fluid is: circulatedtoetheram unit in.- the desired manner. It is tobeunderstood, of..course,..thatany suitable. valve; construction.- or. mechanism. maybe, provided atz'5i to. gain the-proper. circular tiorr of fluid under. the influence of. the. piston action: above. described;

a The flexibleconnection; as. providedby the present. invention, is: characterized by asingle. flexible memberor duct oneend of which isjoined. tothe. outlet of the pumps it while the other end. isajoinedtotheendzof the body oithe ramunit. A. practice the. connection C. may be. of. any suitable length, itbeing. preferred ordinarily that. it be sufiiciently long so that when the ram unit, is in. operating positiorr.v as; .shownin Fig. l, the pressure generating. unitB, can be: suitably spaced. therefromin: a manner-to; be operatedmost ad vantageously.

The pressure release meansD. is provided for relieving pressure from the apparatus-.thusxfar describedin underlie.allow for retraction of, the rams. in cylinder openings: after they have been moved; outwardly therein by the. fluid. In the form illustratedthe: means D involves; structure'for relieving. pressure at the ram: unit and azlsoi azt the pump or. pressure generator. =At the-head oil the ram. unit there is a: fluid outlet opening 10 norrrrally closed .by a. valve member H under control of a screw T2. The port. 1.0. iscin communication with the-chamber 2-! and when is desired to; relieve; pressure from the ramsunit and ta; allow; the rams; to retract; the. member-i2= can he; operated toopen theval-ve 'tls,..allowingenough fluid to; escape so that they rams return to their inner or retracted; posi--. tions; ,In the casenillustrated amelief port is provmed the, pump and is normallyclosed by a valve-81. operatedzby a screw; member 82.. .If.

desired the valve 81: canzbe opened allowing: fluid to; escape th1'ough;.the; -port.18.l back to oil reservoir-,5fl-.;., Inpractice. either. one: or. both of: the pressure relieving means just described canabe resorted to ascircumstances require.

: retainingmeansEprovided by thapresent, inventiorn involves a mmber 9 0; engageahle with, prefierab y arc n -x hey and oper b e to engage-oven-one or moreot; the rams, carried bythe body-1 the. caseillustrated the retainer E inzthe form of asleeve engaged. around. the. body.

and it engages a group of two rams leaving the other rams of the unit A to operate on the pressure plate 14. In practice the retainer E can be used or not, as circumstances require. The pressure plate [4 may be made of sufficient length so that all of the several operable rams can simultaneously engage it, as shown in Fig. 1, if full operation is desired, or it may be shorter to cooperate with the retainer as shown in Fig. 2.

In thecase of a normal and typical operation of the structure provided by the invention a suitable bore 95 is provided in the block or body 96 of concrete or rock to be deflected or split. The ram unit A is inserted in the bore 95 with the side of the body lil opposite the flattened side It bearing against one wall of the bore, while the pressure plate I bears on the other Wall. It is preferred that the pressure plate It be so formed that its outer side be convex to seat in the bore 95 while its inner side 39 is fiat and is engaged by the convex ends of the rams. When the ram unit is in position, as shown in Fig. 3, the pressure generator 13 located remote from the ram unit, as shown in Fig. 1, is suitably operated so that the rams are forced outwardly in their cylinders and as this operation is continued great pressure develops between the body I 9 and the pressure plate. When sufficient pressure has been thus developed the body or formation 96 will break or crack, as at 98, Whereupon the relief means D can be operated relieving the ram so that they can be retracted and the ram unit withdrawn for a next operation. As above described, if all of the rams are not desired a retainer Ill can be employed in a manner such as is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and it will be apparent that by employing a retainer E of suitable length any desired number of rams can be taken out of service, as circumstances require.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and. fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A ram unit of the character described including, an elongate body substantially round in cross section and having cylindrical openings extending into it from one side and spaced apart longitudinally of the body, there being ports connecting the inner ends of the openings, rams round in cross section and slidable in the openings and having convex outer ends, the rams being substantially coextensive in length with the said openings, a retainer engaged with the body and selectively engaged with some only of the rams, and a pressure plate extending lengthwise of the body and engaged by the outer ends of the rams other than those engaged by the retainer.

2. A ram unit of the character described including, an elongate body substantially round in cross section and having cylindrical openings extending into it from one side and spaced longitudinally thereof, there being ports connecting the inner ends of the openings, rams slidable in the openings and having projecting convex outer ends, an annular retainer engaged around the body and selectively engaged with some only of the rams to hold them inactive, and a pressure plate extending lengthwise of the body and engaged by the outer ends of the rams other than those engaged with the retainer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 590,973 Gas et a1. Oct. 5, 1897 1,354,861 Tonge Oct. 5, 1920 2,066,175 Dietz Dec. 29, 1936 2,346,677 Hair et a1. Apr. 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 186,671 Great Britain Sept. 27, 1922 

